Toy boat or the like



July 31; 1934. W. A. mum 1mm TOY BOAT OR THE LIKE Invenior y W. #1. momma L JW TOY BOAT OR THE LIKE Filed 001:" 2 Sheets-$heet 2 fmaenior ll fili Biufiili Vifilliarn ll. laiioehirlg, iilorlistille lilo W32, Serial. No. lif-lilfilti (till. til -3W Application iiictober 25,

ll Claims.

This invention relates to water toys oil the self: propelled variety, and particularly to such toys which are self propelled through the agency of escaping fluid acting against the water in which 5 they are afloat.

An important object of my invention is to proride an extremely inexpensive but attractive toy of this type which is genuinely and efficiently operative and which can be successfully oper ated and enjoyed by a small child.

Other objects and advantages of my invention. will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawings wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown 3? preferred embodiments of my invention.

in the drawings:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through one form of the invention.

"Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view talren approximately on the line 3-?! oi Figure 1.

Figure a is a longitudinal vertical sectional View through another form oi the invention.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of Figure a, and

Figure B is a transverse vertical sectional view through Figure l approximately on the line 6-6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the nu meral 5 generally designates a hollow flat bot turned boat form, which is one of two forms which Tl have chosen to illustrate the principles of my invention herein.

It will be observed with regard to the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, that the bottom 6 of the boat form follows the general plan form oi the top 7, but is not of as great length. at the iore -part oi. the boat the bottom leads to the top in a suitable prow form which is sloped as indicated at 8, whereas the stern of the boat form is flattened as indicated at 9 and sloped at a sharp upward angle as shown.

Where the bottom joins the prow form 8 there depends a pin or rod 10 on which is journalled an adjustable rudder ll which is confined on the pin by a portion of larger diameter 12. The rudder is arranged to frictionally grip the pin 10 so that it will stay in adjusted positions.

' Within and almost completely filling the boat form is disposed a bladder or balloon 13 which has a, neclr 14 extruded through an opening 15 in the fore part of the top '7 through a rubber grommet l6 provided so as to avoid cutting thereof by the sides of the opening 15. Supported. in the neck i l of the bladder or balloon is an inflating valve assembly generally designated 1'! which is lit tilt

1 "View a 1;.

equip ed with. the ball check. 18 for preventing back ."tl escape of air or other aeriiorm fluid from the balloon, during or after inflation thereof. in some suitable manner, as by blowing with the mouth.

The rear end of the bladder or balloon i8 is provided with a nipple 19 into which is extended one end portion 21 of a tube which portion is arranged at a forward angle to the perpendicular. The succeeding portion 22 of the tube has an opposite angularity to the perpendicular and lies along the stern portion 9 of the boat. From the lower end of this the horizontal portion 23 leads forwardly of the lower end fi l of the stern 9, as seen in Figure l, to a point 25 where it passes through the bottom and depends some distance therebelow where it is rearwardly turned as indi cated at 26 and eonrimunicated as indicated at 3'? through the lower end of a trough generally designated ili.

The trough 2! comprises a member having the rounded v shaped cross section illustrated in. Figure 3 and. being larger at the upper part there oi" it approaches the water line of the boat for positively preventing the escape of air bubbles from the sides thereof. It will be observed that the lower end or the trough 2"! is cut off into a horizontal plane as indicated at 28, and that at the water line 29 the upper part of the trough 2'"! is bent downwardly and rearwardly toward the horizontal to provide the deflection portion 30 which closely approaches the top of the water at an angle of approximately 15 when the boat is afloat. This is deflected at the point 3% which is exactly at water level and extends to the point above the water.

The balloon or bladder is inflated through the nipple while holding a finger upon the opening at the lower end of the tube 20. As the boat is placed into the water and the finger is removed from the lower end of the tube 20 the air or other aeriforrn fluid, escaping with some force a result of the compression. thereof within the boat, makes bubbles which rise in the trough 2'! and work against the water so as to push the boat forwardly. As the bubbles reach the upper end of the trough. they will be directed almost directly rearwardly at exactly water level to increase the propulsion force thereof. As stated the sides and web of the trough are made wider at the top to take care of the increase in size of the bubbles as they move upwardly. fit is to be observed that the adjustable rudder ll may be adjusted, so as to cause the boat to travel directly forwardly or in. selected circles. it is Bill it ill also to be observed that the rear end of the boat is depressed below the forepart when in the water.

The opening in the end 37 of the tube 20 is plugged with lead or the like and then drilled to provide a small hole for permitting escape of air at the desired rate. A small hole gives reduced boat speed but longer cruising time, while a larger hole produces greater speed but reduces the cruising time.

Reference is now made to Figures 4 to 6 inclusive, wherein is illustrated an application of the invention to a V-shaped type of boat or toy. The hollow boat form is generally designated by the numeral 5a, and it is provided with a prow Set as well as a top- ?a and a bottom 6a, and an interior bladder 13a which has a forwardly located necli; 14a with an inflating valve assembly l'la having the ball check valve 18a, the said neck being extruded through an opening in the top it: the edges of which are protected by means of a rubber grommet 16a. The bladder 13a has a rearward nipple 19a which is fitted over a short tube 32 which is straight and short and disposed at an angle to the perpendicular and extended through the back. end 33 of the boat and into the lower end of a trough 27a as indicated at 36. It will be observed that in this embodiment the trough 27a does not extend below the bottom. 6d but is even therewith. and that the tube 32 traverses the stern 33 and the trough 27c at a point 36 just above the bottom 6a.

In this embodiment a rounded top 7a is provided. The use of a rudder is dispensed with, but if desired the same may be provided in the manner illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 showing the other embodiment of my invention herein described. It is to be observed that the stern is pointed like the prow 8a and that a keel formation 33 is provided as seen in Figures 5 and. c.

ihe :ZIa is relatively shorter though al most exactly corresponding formation to the trough. 27. The trough 27a has its lower end approximately flush with the bottom 6a of the boat. The upper end is rearwardly downwardly deflected at the point 34a at water level toward but not into parallelism with the water level 2&- being arranged at an angle of approximately 15 nth the surface of the water and extends rearwardly to the point 35a above the water.

The escaping air or other aeriforni fluid forms bubbles which travel upwardly in the trough in the manner illustrated in Figure 1 and are directed rearwardly as they reach exactly water level. The air bubbles thus rearwardly directed accumulate behind the trough and continue to press rearwardly and do not burst until they have reached a point at or beyond the ends 35 or 35a of the portions 30 and 30a of the troughs.

There is provided in the top of each boat form described an opening 31, 31a which permits observing the state of inflation of the bladder or balloon.

The bladder or balloon having been adequately inflated, the boats, fish toys, and any similar applications of the principles of the invention, will be propelled at a fairly rapid rate for several minutes upon the surface of the water at no expense for operation to the operator, except the exertion of inflating the bladder or balloon, ad-

' justing the rudder by moving the same to the desired position, and placing the boat or the like upon the water.

Though I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in material, structure and arrangement of parts within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

l. A seli piopelled floating toy comprising a hollow buoyant member, an inflatable bladder therein, air expelling means at the rear of the toy for delivering air under pressure downward y and to the rear against the water for propelli the toy, and angularly disposed relatively mar row trough at the rear of the toy into the lower part or" which the air expelling means open within the rearward edges of the sides of said trough.

2. A toy boat comprising a buoyant hull, an inflatable air reservoir in the hull, air pressure discharge means extending through a rearward portion of the hull, an inclined relatively narrow trough through the lower end portion of the web of which said discharge means opens for discharging air under pressure within said trough.

3. A toy boat comprising a buoyant hull,

inflatable air reservoir the hull, air pressure discharge means extending through a rearward portion of the hull, an inclined relatively narrow trough through the lower end web portion of which said discharge means communicates ior discharging air under pressure into said trough, said inclined trough being rounded l -shaped in. cross section.

t. A toy boat comprising a buoyant hull, an

inflatable air reservoir in the null, air pressure discharge means extending through a rearward g portion of the hull, an inclined relatively narrow trough secured to said rearward portion, said air discharge means communicating with the lower end of said trough for discharging air under pressure therein, said inclined trough being shaped in cross section, an bubble deflector on the upper end of the trough, and inclined rearwardly and upwardly with respect to the water line when the boat is afloat.

6. In a toy boat having a hull enclosing an inflatable bladder, and an air discharge tube, a relatively narrow V-shaped trough secured at upward and rearward angle to the rear of said hull, said air discharge tube emptying into the lower end portion of said trough to cause the rise of air bubbles through the water in said trough for pushing rearwardly against the water behind said boat, thereby propelling the boat.

7. In a toy boat having a hull enclosing an inflatable bladder, and an air discharge tube, a relatively narrow V-shaped trough secured at an upward and r arward angle to the rear of said hull, said air discharge tube being communicated directly with the lower end portion of the trough to cause the rise of air bubbles through the water 1-.

flatable bladder, and an air discharge tube, a relatively narrow V-shaped trough secured at an upward and rearward angle to the rear of said hull, said air discharge tube being communicated directly with the lower end portion of the trough to cause the rise of air bubbles through the water in the trough for pushing against the water and propelling the boat, and a deflector on the upper end of said trough having a relatively small upward and rearward angle with respect to the water level and located close to the Water level, for accumulating and confining air bubbles in the upper part of said trough to a rearward path to increase their propulsive effect.

9. In a toy boat having a hull enclosing an inflatable bladder, and an air discharge tube, a relatively narrow V-shaped trough secured at an upward and rearward angle to the rear of said hull, said air discharge tube being communicated directly with the lower end portion of the trough to cause the rise 0;" air bubbles through the water in the trough for pushing against the water and propelling the boat, and a deflector on the upper end of said trough having a relatively small upward and rearward angle with respect to the water level and located close to the water level, for ac cumulating and confining air bubbles in the upper part of said trough to a rearward path to increase their propulsive effect, the depressed part of said deflector being arranged at water level.

10. A toy boat comprising a hull containing an inflatable bladder, a compressed air discharge tube having one end connected to the bladder and its opposite end traversing a rearward portion of the hull, a relatively sharply upwardly and rearwardly inclined trough of general V-shapecl cross section secured to the stern of the hull andhaving said opposite end of the said tube opening directly into the lower part thereof, so as to cause air bubbles formed by the escaping air in said lower part of the trough to be confined by said trough and rise therein to push rearwardly against the water to propel the boat, said lower part of the said trough being located at a lower level than the bottom of the hull.

11, A toy boat comprising a hull containing an inflatable bladder, a compressed air discharge tube having one end connected to the bladder and its opposite end traversing a rearward portion of the hull, a relatively sharply upwardly and rearwardly inclined trough of general V- shaped cross section secured to the stern of the hull and having said opposite end of the said tube opening directly into the lower part thereof, so as to cause air bubbles formed by the escaping air in said lower part of the trough to be confined by said trough and rise therein to push rear- Wardly against the water to propel the boat, and a deflector closing the upper end of the trough and inclined rearwardly and upwardly at a rela tively small angle from the water level to accumulate and confine air bubbles at water level to a substantially directly rearward path for securing a greater propulsive effect as the bubbles rise to the top of the water and burst within said deflector.

WILLIAIi/I A. ROEHRIG. 

